There is absolutely no question that digital communications are the new reality;
they should also form an integral part of any marketing strategy.
But that doesn’t mean that online communication and social media strategies should be the only avenue you take for promoting and advertising your business.
The phrase “digital fatigue” has been around for a couple of years now, and has a couple of different meanings. There is an actual medical definition that refers to physical manifestations resulting from spending too much time on computers, smart phones and other electronics. This includes problems like eyestrain and migraines.
And then there is the antisocial aspect of digital communications. We are all familiar with instances of groups of people sitting together but not interacting, instead preferring focusing their attentions on their smartphones. In fact, we have all poked fun at those folks. Some places, like restaurants and theaters, are implementing rules about cellphones. Scary that we have to have rules put into place to avoid being rude…
Is it any wonder that people are seeking out physical objects and experiences?
There is no denying that to be successful in business these days you must have an online presence. And these days, your website needs to be more than simply an online brochure. A website where prospects and clients can go to learn more about you or to obtain assistance with some simple questions about your business is a must. Social media is also playing a bigger and bigger role. Love it or hate it, but used properly social media is an incredibly powerful tool for engaging clients and prospective clients. It also provides opportunities to announce new product and service offerings, to announce sales, and to interact in a timely way with others.
Unfortunately, in some cases people think that online marketing is all they need to do – especially if they are digital marketers.
When you are developing your marketing strategy, be sure that what you are developing is truly a marketing strategy. If you engage the services of a digital marketer, expect to have your marketing plan focus on digital marketing. And if you are engaging the services of someone who only does off-line marketing, then you can also expect their marketing plan to focus on their area of specialty: off-line marketing.
That is why you should consider hiring a marketing strategist to provide an overall marketing strategy. A good marketing strategist will take a look at all aspects of your business and provide you with a marketing plan with the proper balance of off-line and online marketing strategies, specific to the needs of your business. It can be easy to be seduced by the promises of quick results by those marketers who will deliver services specifically in their niche, but without the global view, an understanding of your business goals and your corporate brand, you are likely to be disappointed with the results. Even if the marketer is successful in delivering what they have promised to deliver, your overall marketing plan will be missing specific elements, and any gains are likely to be lost as soon as the program is discontinued.
Before the internet and online marketing became widespread, there was some initial reluctance in adopting it as a marketing technique. Now however, it seems as though the pendulum has swung too far the other way with too much reliance on technology, which has resulted in “digital fatigue”.
Despite all of the benefits – and there are many – of technology and digital communication, at the end of the day we all like that personal touch, that human connection, the knowledge that there is another human being on the other side of that computer screen. Keep that in mind and seek balance in your marketing strategy and you will have better results and happier clients.
Until next time…
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